Absolute record number of entrants in the ninth edition of the Grand Prix of Italy Mini 6.50 – Coppa Alberti. As many as thirty-one boats are registered – from Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Hungary – divided into the Series (15 participants) and Proto (16 participants) categories. The “corsa au large” fever has infected everyone, and the number of sailors who like to challenge themselves on ever-longer routes is soaring.
THE NEW ROUTE
For the 2015 edition of the Italian Grand Prix, the Race Committee has designed a very technical 509-mile course that will take participants through a variety of conditions. After departing from Genoa, the fleet will head for Gallinara Island and then set course for the Bocche di Bonifacio in Corsica and then Giannutri and then return to Genoa.
THE “HOT” NAMES.
The best sailors in the class will be in the race: the technical level is really high as many participating crews will be at the start of the 2015 Mini Transat starting from Douarnenez next September 19. Among the Protos, Michele Zambelli, recent winner of the Fezzano-Talamone and the Archipelago Mini 6.50, will race aboard Illumia. He will be given a hard time by Alberto Bona (winner of the 2014 edition of the GP Mini 6.50) who will race on Onlinesim with an exceptional companion: Pietro D’Alì. The crew are bearers of the Italian Yacht Club. Eyes are also on Estonian Jaanus Tamme with Ropeye, Andrea Pendibene and Giovanna Valsecchi aboard Pegaso, and French crews Arthur-Leopold Léger/Pierre Marie Bazin on Voile des Anges and Mathieu Guillaume/Julien Hereu aboard Bahia Express. Among the Series the Italian crew Beccaria/Sanfelice with Alla Grande (first in their category at Fezzano-Talamone and Archipelago 650) will have to contend with Nacho Postigo and Pablo Santurde on Vamos Vamos and Andrea Iacopini and Luca Riccobon on Tortuga.
The progress of the regatta can be followed at www.yci.it and http://gpimini650.classemini.it.
